(225 ILCS 305/21) (from Ch. 111, par. 1321)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2030)

Sec. 21. Professional design firm registration; conditions.

(a) Nothing in this Act shall prohibit the formation, under the Professional Service Corporation Act, of a corporation to offer the practice of architecture.

Any business, including, but not limited to, a Professional Service Corporation, that includes the practice of architecture within its stated purposes, practices architecture, or holds itself out as available to practice architecture shall register with the Department under this Section. Any professional service corporation, sole proprietorship, or professional design firm offering architectural services must have a resident architect in responsible charge of the architectural practices in each location in which architectural services are provided who shall be designated as a managing agent.

Any sole proprietorship not owned and operated by an Illinois licensed design professional licensed under this Act is prohibited from offering architectural services to the public. "Illinois licensed design professional" means a person who holds an active license as an architect under this Act, as a structural engineer under the Structural Engineering Practice Act of 1989, as a professional engineer under the Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989, or as a professional land surveyor under the Professional Land Surveyor Act of 1989. Any sole proprietorship owned and operated by an architect with an active license issued under this Act and conducting or transacting such business under an assumed name in accordance with the Assumed Business Name Act shall comply with the registration requirements of a professional design firm. Any sole proprietorship owned and operated by an architect with an active license issued under this Act and conducting or transacting such business under the real name of the sole proprietor is exempt from the registration requirements of a professional design firm.

(b) Any business, including, but not limited to, a Professional Service Corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or professional design firm seeking to be registered under this Section shall not be registered as a professional design firm unless:

(1) two-thirds of the board of directors, in the case of a corporation, or two-thirds of the general partners, in the case of a partnership, or two-thirds of the members, in the case of a limited liability company, are licensed under the laws of any State to practice architecture, professional engineering, land surveying, or structural engineering; and

(2) a managing agent is (A) a sole proprietor or director in the case of a corporation, a general partner in the case of a partnership, or a member in the case of a limited liability company, and (B) holds a license under this Act.

Any corporation, limited liability company, professional service corporation, or partnership qualifying under this Section and practicing in this State shall file with the Department any information concerning its officers, directors, members, managers, partners or beneficial owners as the Department may, by rule, require.

(c) No business shall offer the practice or hold itself out as available to offer the practice of architecture until it is registered with the Department as a professional design firm. Every entity registered as a professional design firm shall display its certificate of registration or a facsimile thereof in a conspicuous place in each office offering architectural services.

(d) Any business seeking to be registered under this Section shall make application on a form provided by the Department and shall provide any information requested by the Department, which shall include but shall not be limited to all of the following:

(1) The name and architect's license number of at least one person designated as a managing agent. In the case of a corporation, the corporation shall also submit a certified copy of the resolution by the board of directors designating at least one managing agent. If a limited liability company, the company shall submit a certified copy of either its articles of organization or operating agreement designating at least one managing agent.

(2) The names and architect's, professional engineer's, structural engineer's, or land surveyor's license numbers of the directors, in the case of a corporation, the members, in the case of a limited liability company, or general partners, in the case of a partnership.

(3) A list of all locations at which the professional design firm provides architectural services.

(4) A list of all assumed names of the business. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to exempt a business from compliance with the requirements of the Assumed Business Name Act.

It is the responsibility of the professional design firm to provide the Department notice, in writing, of any changes in the information requested on the application.

(e) If a managing agent is terminated or terminates his or her status as managing agent of the professional design firm, the managing agent and the professional design firm shall notify the Department of this fact in writing, by regular mail or email, within 10 business days of termination.

Thereafter, the professional design firm, if it has so informed the Department, has 30 days in which to notify the Department of the name and architect's license number of the architect who is the newly designated managing agent. If a corporation, the corporation shall also submit a certified copy of a resolution by the board of directors designating the new managing agent. If a limited liability company, the company shall also submit a certified copy of either its articles of organization or operating agreement designating the new managing agent. The Department may, upon good cause shown, extend the original 30-day period.

If the professional design firm has not notified the Department in writing, by regular mail or email, within the specified time, the registration shall be terminated without prior hearing. Notification of termination shall be sent by regular mail to the address of record. If the professional design firm continues to operate and offer architectural services after the termination, the Department may seek prosecution under Sections 22 and 23.5 for the unlicensed practice of architecture.

(f) No professional design firm shall be relieved of responsibility for the conduct or acts of its agents, employees, or officers by reason of its compliance with this Section, nor shall any individual practicing architecture be relieved of the responsibility for professional services performed by reason of the individual's employment or relationship with a professional design firm registered under this Section.

(g) Disciplinary action against a professional design firm registered under this Section shall be administered in the same manner and on the same grounds as disciplinary action against a licensed architect. All disciplinary action taken or pending against a corporation or partnership before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1993 shall be continued or remain in effect without the Department filing separate actions.

(Source: P.A. 101-346, eff. 8-9-19.)